School: Cill Mhuire, Sráid na Cathrach (roll number 13942)
- Location:
- Mullagh, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Tomás Ó Conaill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0624, Page 517a
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- It was sometime in the summer of the year 1878 that the great T.M.Malone made his debut as an athlete. He first competed at Ennis in an handicap 100 yards, which he won through totally untrained, and soon after at Newmarket-on-Fergus he had further successes through opposed to such good men as C.B.Croker and W.A.Kelly, Queen's College, Cork; T.A.Lynch etc.The following year he had several outings before he visited Dublin in May for the Civil Service and championship sports. His first appearance was at Queen's College, Galway where he met and beat J.H.Steward and C.B.Croker in the open 100 yards. He also won the quarter-mile and high jump and got second to P.C.Hickey in throwing his weights. He then competed at Queen's College, Cork, County Clare Cricket Club Sports, and at Miltown-Malbay, his native place, scoring many victories on each occasion.Malone's first appearance in Dublin was at the Civil Service meeting at Landsdowne Road on May 7, 1879, where he won the open 120 yds. in 12 secs. and ran second to Gerald Brown, who had 9 yards start, only beaten by one foot. Brown, who afterwards won the championship event, being more than an average runner even then. At the championship meeting two days after Malone was entered for several events and who the hundred yards and quarter-mile and got second in the jumps and throwing the 16lb. weight, his time being 10 2.5 [?] and 31 1.3 [?] secs respectively , for the races.This was his only appearance in Dublin, but he competed many times at sports in Cork, Limerick, and Clare before he emigrated to Australia in 1882. He competed at the English championships in 1881 and 1882 in the 100 yards and long jump. On both occasions, though he proved himself the fastest man in the race, he lost the 100 yards through some fumble at the start either by himself or the starters - the pistol going off before he had properly toed the mark.During his career in Australia he won hundreds of races and matches as a professional against the best men of his time. He accomplished records in most distances from 100 yards to half a mile, and had great performances to his credit in jumping and weight-throwing as well. He died in Sydney in December, 1919, at the age of sixty-two years.Malone stood about 5ft 9ins in height, scaled over 12st. when in Ireland, but when in training in Australia his weight was scaled to be 11st 12lbs. He was well built, strong and wiry with perfect legs, well developed chest and arms. He was of rather pale complexion, with dark hair. His style of running was free and graceful, striding nearly 7 feet. Even when going at top speed he did not seem to be doing his best.
